Cyber Terrorism – The Cyber Forumhttps://www.thecyberforum.com
Mon, 19 Nov 2018 19:42:59 +0000en-UShourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.9.8https://www.thecyberforum.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/cropped-justice-147214_960_720-32x32.pngCyber Terrorism – The Cyber Forumhttps://www.thecyberforum.com
3232Facebook Repressed On Trump And Russia For Republicanshttps://www.thecyberforum.com/2018/11/12/facebook-repressed-on-trump-and-russia/
https://www.thecyberforum.com/2018/11/12/facebook-repressed-on-trump-and-russia/#respondMon, 12 Nov 2018 08:59:29 +0000https://www.thecyberforum.com/?p=2266On Wednesday this week, bombshells were published in New York Times in which they reveal that how Facebook has handled its turmoil over the last 2 years. It seems like on many different occasions the medium has to try to appease and avoid confrontation with Republican’s rather than taking actions to combat Russian-Trump propaganda. Like […]

]]>On Wednesday this week, bombshells were published in New York Times in which they reveal that how Facebook has handled its turmoil over the last 2 years. It seems like on many different occasions the medium has to try to appease and avoid confrontation with Republican’s rather than taking actions to combat Russian-Trump propaganda.

Like in 2015’s Trump racist post were the company decided to keep his post up because it wasn’t deemed to violate any term of service. When Alex Stamos, Facebook’s former Chief Security Officer directed a team and wanted to publish their findings on the newspaper about the Russian propaganda but Kaplan, Facebook Vice President objected it.

“If Facebook implicated Russia further”, Mr. Kaplan said, “Republicans would accuse the company of siding with Democrats,” the Times writes.

The company does so to not go against Republicans politicians. It shows that Facebook not only do such at the expense of ‘transparency and community’ policies (though Facebook is not the only medium that has done it in the past).

It shows the amount of pressure political optics had on the decision making of the company. There are sometimes where it seems that Facebook gives a platform for actual dedication to free speech like Trump’s racist; turns out that it did to avoid the resentment.

On the other hand, the scenario of Russian report making, that didn’t even make it to the published ground was all the action for the sake of showing, they are not partisan.

Though the in case of Russian social media manipulation issue, Facebook should have taken measure that not only allows the company to work but also the government to combat international cyber-warfare. Facebook has always said that “community” is the company’s priority but decisions aren’t made clear in their best interest Afterall.

]]>https://www.thecyberforum.com/2018/11/12/facebook-repressed-on-trump-and-russia/feed/0Terror Content: Facebook Claims To Remove More Than 14 Million Pieceshttps://www.thecyberforum.com/2018/11/08/terror-content/
https://www.thecyberforum.com/2018/11/08/terror-content/#respondThu, 08 Nov 2018 10:00:45 +0000https://www.thecyberforum.com/?p=2215Terror content on many social media mediums is available majorly related to the Islamic State (IS), Al-Qaeda, and their affiliates which not only promote extremism but also affect the younger generation making them believe their schemes. To avoid these attempts many mediums are working to reduce these kinds of terror content if they are available […]

]]>Terror content on many social media mediums is available majorly related to the Islamic State (IS), Al-Qaeda, and their affiliates which not only promote extremism but also affect the younger generation making them believe their schemes. To avoid these attempts many mediums are working to reduce these kinds of terror content if they are available on their mediums.

Facebook is also working on the front foot against this terror content, as it claims to remove a total of about 14 million terror-related pieces with the help of their new machine learning tools that not only identified these posts but also take lesser time to reduce if reported by its users.

It works across in 19 different languages and also uses audio and text-hashing techniques for detecting terrorist content. They started this task at the beginning of this year by dividing into Q1, Q2, and Q3.

In Q1; they took action on 1.9 million pieces of terror content than in Q2 they took action on 9.4 million pieces of terror content as a majority of which was old material. In Q3, the overall content declined to 3 million, of which 800,000 pieces of content were old which shows significant increases from Q1.

User-reported terror content removals grew around 16,000 in Q3 from 10,000 in Q1 along with that the new machine learning tools have also reduced the amount of time the content reported by its users stays on the platform, from 43 hours in Q1 to 18 hours in Q3.

Seeing these positive attempts made by Facebook, the US Department of Justice warn IS supporters to be careful when posting propaganda on Facebook, pointing to the network’s Q1 2018. As pushing propaganda on the social media giant is getting more and more difficult.

]]>https://www.thecyberforum.com/2018/11/08/terror-content/feed/0Election Day: Facebook Plays As A War Roomhttps://www.thecyberforum.com/2018/11/07/election-day-facebook-plays-as-a-war-room/
https://www.thecyberforum.com/2018/11/07/election-day-facebook-plays-as-a-war-room/#respondWed, 07 Nov 2018 12:00:31 +0000https://www.thecyberforum.com/?p=2194After a good election day, Facebook executives tried to let up but there’s no room for them to have a sigh of relief. Social media companies tried to clear up their services since last two years in order to deliver the good ones only. However, the calm on these platforms after Election Day signifies that […]

]]>After a good election day, Facebook executives tried to let up but there’s no room for them to have a sigh of relief.

Social media companies tried to clear up their services since last two years in order to deliver the good ones only. However, the calm on these platforms after Election Day signifies that chaos of election campaigns can be controlled.

But not forgetting that this year’s midterm elections revealed how Facebook is delicate towards such burning cycles.

With the constant vigilance from law enforcement agencies, academic researchers, and digital security experts, the Election Day was just a disaster-free day.

It wasn’t just a campaign, but constantly breaking a sweat of dozens of staff members working round-the-clock shifts. A massive number of journalists and fact checker willing to police the platform for false news stories and frauds so these can be controlled before going viral.

Looking for the unending list of misinformation on Facebook was like a piece of cake. There are doctored photos, disprovable lies, and hoaxers and conspiracy theorists, who used the platform to spin falsehoods and stir up tribal anger.

In a recent study by Oxford Internet Institute, an Oxford University department found that 25 percent of all election-related content shared on Facebook and Twitter during the midterm election season could be classified as junk news. Mr. Reynolds; a Facebook spokesman; said

Over the last two years, we’ve worked hard to prevent misuse of Facebook during elections…Our teams worked round the clock during the midterms to reduce the spread of misinformation thwart efforts to discourage people from voting and deal with issues of hate on our services.

The anti-abuse system the Facebook put in place after the 2016 election has not gone smoothly. The main steps including the one which Facebook took to prevent Russian style influence campaigns were to force political advertisers to verify their identities. But Paid for By disclaimers on paid ads allowed authorized advertisers to publish their desired content.

Facebook has shield itself from the bad actors trying to exploit its services. Since the Election Day itself had been a success, but the company still had plenty to worry about. Michael Posner, a professor of ethics and finance at New York University’s Stern School of Business said:

I give them better marks for being on the case. But it’s yet to be seen how effective it’s going to be. There’s an awful lot of disinformation still out there.

As Facebook cracked down the domestic disinformation networks, banning particularly bad actors, and hiring more people to deal with emerging threats, it has covered a great milestone to give a protected platform. It has shown responsibly a wider role in the overall Election Day campaign, but it is accountable for the flood of lies and manipulation left after it.

]]>https://www.thecyberforum.com/2018/11/07/election-day-facebook-plays-as-a-war-room/feed/0Blasphemous Content: A Man Is Arrestedhttps://www.thecyberforum.com/2018/10/09/blasphemous-content-a-man-is-arrested/
https://www.thecyberforum.com/2018/10/09/blasphemous-content-a-man-is-arrested/#respondTue, 09 Oct 2018 20:58:54 +0000https://www.thecyberforum.com/?p=2042A resident of Chakwal Ibtesam was also involved in spreading denominationalism. The case is registered. ISLAMABAD: FIA’s Cybercrime Wing has arrested an accused of uploading blasphemous content against Holy Entities. According to FIA sources, Ibtesam – a resident of District Chakwal – was not only involved in spreading blasphemous content but also promoting denomination contents […]

]]>https://www.thecyberforum.com/2018/10/09/blasphemous-content-a-man-is-arrested/feed/0What are the laws available in Pakistan on ATM skimming?https://www.thecyberforum.com/2018/08/25/what-are-the-laws-available-in-pakistan-on-atm-skimming/
https://www.thecyberforum.com/2018/08/25/what-are-the-laws-available-in-pakistan-on-atm-skimming/#respondSat, 25 Aug 2018 22:10:40 +0000https://www.thecyberforum.com/?p=1876Introduction Cybercrime is not just subject to harassment only but is a vast field covering all fraudulent acts through digital sources. ATM fraud is one of them and I’ve designed this article specifically to talk about this matter which people usually don’t consider necessary to talk about until they face such a scam. Before talking […]

Cybercrime is not just subject to harassment only but is a vast field covering all fraudulent acts through digital sources. ATM fraud is one of them and I’ve designed this article specifically to talk about this matter which people usually don’t consider necessary to talk about until they face such a scam. Before talking about Pakistani scenario, it is important to talk about other countries where there are laws regarding ATM skimming, to get some real-life examples.
In a developed country like Thailand, it is reported that approx. 6000 people have been affected by ATM skimming in July. Though, there is smart technology, security cameras, updated & centralized banking systems everywhere and yet approx. $1.8 million has been stolen.

Figure 1: Arrested ATM card fraud suspects with Thai police in Bankok

According to IMF, almost $2 billion has been lost through ATM skimming during 2017. As the ratio of reported crimes are 1 out of 10 in developing countries and 6 out of 10 in the case of developed countries and the above statement is a reported news. So based on such ratio, I believe that around 8 to 9 billion dollars have been skimmed.
On a contrary, we belong to such a vulnerable country where – primarily – there is a scarcity of laws, low applicability of available laws, incompetent agencies having fewer resources and a prolonged list of many loopholes. There is a cocktail of criminals who are walking free without any fear of getting arrested. So this article is all about ATM skimming, skimmers’ tricks, how you can make your account protected and available laws in Pakistan.

Possibilities of ATM skimming

Figure 2: Process

Here we are going to mention – one by one – what are the possibilities through which ATMs are skimmed.

When you insert an ATM card, there attach a card reader in ATM machine that reads the information on that individual credit or debit card. ATM skimmers also attach another reader to scan your ATM card and thus capture internal information.

A small camera may be attached with the reader as well by skimmers which copies your passcode.

Through this two-way method, they copy information, identity and pin number of your card and draw all amount from your bank account.
This is one method of ATM skimming. Now I am going to share another method which is a most conventional & traditional way and I’ve personally been a victim of it. Let’s talk about this one.

Once I inserted my ATM card in an out of service machine which got stuck inside it. There was a person standing outside and waiting for me to come out. He then asked me to enter the code saying that, “Through this way machine will push your card out” and by doing so, he memorized my pin code. Later, he told me to come tomorrow to take your card back as my card was already got stuck before yours. Meanwhile, my card came out and he quickly re-inserted the card, entered the pin code and drew the amount.

Another thing is social engineering which is very dangerous. In this method, a person takes someone’s card and start guessing his code number. He thinks of the pin code by the owner’s date of birth. For instance, the owner’s birthday is April 4, 1986, so he may have 4486 as his code number. Then through social engineering or social hacking – which is very tricky – the person can withdraw balance from that account.

Tip: Being an IT expert, I must suggest you to not do anything to a system when it gets hang. Simply leave it. It may has many instructions in its system which is delaying the process which the system will proceed one after another in its instruction queue system. So be patient.

How to refrain from ATM skimming?

Figure 3: Refrain from ATM skimming

This is the important part which most of the readers want to get know. The basic things are:

First of all, whenever you go to the ATM machine, you need to check the surface of the keypad by pressing it to make sure that it is not shaking and another keypad is not adjusted on it. This simply points out the skimmer technique of placing their keypad over a machine to capture your pin. They may have placed another cap with a laser or any other thing which is suspicious.

You surely need to check all these things in ATM before withdrawing. If you see a tiny camera associated with a pad then definitely neither insert your card nor enter your code. Just inform the concerned bank.

2. Never ask for help if you don’t know how to use ATM. Just get a credible person to teach you.
3. Never share your ATM card and pin code with anyone.
4. Just lock your door whenever you go to ATM.

By doing so, you can refrain from ATM skimmers and protect your account.

Other tricks

Figure 4: Other tricks

Now talking about a crime which is committing in Pakistan but people do not take seriously to report it.
You have used your card in Point of Sale System (POS) like KFC, McDonald’s or alike where you can use your visa card. The standard procedure is, you give your card to them who scratch it, deduct amount and take your signature. Nothing else. But in some cases, people don’t understand protocols, don’t consider these standards serious and don’t know how to use POS or visa card. In this case, they ask for the pin as the card is not usable without it. Some people give their pin to them and thus they can be exploited this way. This is strictly not included in standard operating procedures to share your pin with anyone in any situation.
Next important thing is to have a copy of your signed receipt whenever you use your visa card. So, if you get to know that your amount is getting extracted then you can ultimately pursue to that person or shop and enquire about compromising of your account. Hence, you need to let them know, what you are going to do.

If your account is skimmed!

Figure 5: Bluff

If you get to know about skimming your account, you first need to ask your banking service to block your card. Then, you will know about the skimming information, from where your account is skimmed, total amount and all whereabouts so that you can register a case. Usually, people do not pursue because of less amount but in my point of view, you need to pursue the matter – in either way – to set an example to beware people.
You need to on SMS notification of your banking service. Don’t put off that SMS notification so that you get notified if any transaction that you didn’t make. In this way, you can minimize more exploitation of your account.

Punishment of ATM skimming

Pakistan Cyber Crime Act gives you protection in this regard as there are provisions on online fraud. There is 4 to 6 years imprisonment in case of online fraud or ATM skimming in Pakistan. As this does not include only one crime but –

All these steps comprise ATM skimming and thus average 5 years imprisonment is subject to online fraud depending on the sensitivity of crime which may lead to beyond 5 years along with PKR 2 to 3 million fine. Besides this, the culprit also needs to pay back the stolen amount to the owner.

Procedure for reporting a case

Figure 7: Filing a case

The procedure of reporting ATM skimming case is not hectic but needs your intense interest. First, you need to get the information from the respective bank. Submit a copy of that information, a copy of your CNIC and a written complaint to FIA Cyber Crime office in person. Your proofs should include your income statement, all transactions and places of transactions. It would be good if – somehow – you get the CCTV footage from your bank at the time of the transaction to strengthen your complaint. Recently, cybercrime team Rawalpindi has arrested a gang involved in ATM skimming.

Final words!

I have always said that there is no shortcut way to get justice. In one way or another, you have to pursue the matter. If you get threaten by any digital mean then FIA’s cyber crime wing is the relevant authority you should report to. They forward the case of those only, who insisted to proceed further. This article is purely written for the informative purpose. If you have faced such a situation then do let us know so that we may get to know what we should do if this ever happened.
Make sure to spread the information and get in touch for more information.

]]>https://www.thecyberforum.com/2018/08/25/what-are-the-laws-available-in-pakistan-on-atm-skimming/feed/0First FIR in Islamabad Cyber Crime Reportinghttps://www.thecyberforum.com/2018/08/10/first-cyber-crime-reporting-center/
https://www.thecyberforum.com/2018/08/10/first-cyber-crime-reporting-center/#respondFri, 10 Aug 2018 18:05:26 +0000https://www.thecyberforum.com/?p=1828ISLAMABAD: Recently, a new Cyber Crime Reporting Center is established in Islamabad. The center has already started its operations. In this respect, first FIR has been registered regarding a female harassment case. The female was blackmailed through social media. The suspect is now under custody and further investigation is under process.

]]>ISLAMABAD: Recently, a new Cyber Crime Reporting Center is established in Islamabad. The center has already started its operations.

In this respect, first FIR has been registered regarding a female harassment case. The female was blackmailed through social media. The suspect is now under custody and further investigation is under process.

]]>https://www.thecyberforum.com/2018/08/10/first-cyber-crime-reporting-center/feed/0Senator: Duplicate IMEI’s Smuggled Phones Are Being Used for Cyber Crimeshttps://www.thecyberforum.com/2018/07/21/smuggled-phones-are-being-used-for-cyber-crimes/
https://www.thecyberforum.com/2018/07/21/smuggled-phones-are-being-used-for-cyber-crimes/#respondSat, 21 Jul 2018 09:14:59 +0000https://www.thecyberforum.com/?p=1710Having same International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI), thousands of smuggled phones are seized which are being used in cyber crimes and other terrorist activities in country. Senator Rehman Malik revealed this case in the Senate Standing Committee on IT&T which met with Rubina Khalid in the chair last Thursday. Rehman Malik said this is a […]

]]>Having same International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI), thousands of smuggled phones are seized which are being used in cyber crimes and other terrorist activities in country. Senator Rehman Malik revealed this case in the Senate Standing Committee on IT&T which met with Rubina Khalid in the chair last Thursday.

Rehman Malik said this is a serious security threat. He added, “Many mobile handsets with same IMEI are importing in country making it difficult for Federal Investigation Authority (FIA) to arrest someone and fix the responsibility”.

The committee is directed to get reported in the next meeting by Ministry of IT&T and Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA).

Senator Rehman Malik enquired about the agreement under which International Clearing House Exchange (ICHE) was created and asked about the beneficiaries of it. He questioned on its scrapped and emphasized to submit a comprehensive report to Committee comprehending calculation of the losses and review it via an international auditing company.

He asked about the details of concessions given to Middle East countries including Saudi Arabia due to which Pakistan has lost billions of dollars in revenue because of this practice.

Chairperson of the Committee suggested to have a joint meeting to resolve the issue as Committee of Interior and Committee of IT are facing simultaneous issues. Emphasized was given to enhance the legislation to deal with these issues effectively.

Regarding tax issues on mobile cards/loads, the committee questioned the Ministry for non-implementation of its directives.

This meeting was attended by Senator Rehman Malik, Senator Ghous Muhammad Khan Niazi, Senator Rukhsana Zuberi, Senator Sana Jamali and other senior officers from the Ministry of IT, Ministry of Law & Justice and the FIA.